Southern Utah teen accused of bringing bomb to school appears in juvenile court

The detention hearing and initial appearance for the 16-year-old boy accused of bringing a bomb to Pine View High School Wednesday, March 28, 2018.(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)Buy Photo

The purpose of the hearing was twofold: to determine whether the 16-year-old Hurricane resident should remain in detention and to make his initial appearance.

Judge Paul E. Dame ruled to hold the boy at a juvenile detention center, citing reasons including a reasonable basis on probable cause, that it might be unsafe to release him, and the seriousness of the felony-level offenses with which he is charged.

The Spectrum & Daily News does not identify juvenile defendants unless they are charged as adults.

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Deputy County Attorney Angela Adams addresses the media after the detention hearing and the initial appearance for the 16-year-old boy accused of bringing a bomb to Pine View High School Wednesday, March 28, 2018.
Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News

The teen is charged with attempted murder and use of a weapon of mass destruction, both first-degree felonies, in connection with a "backpack bomb" that officials say he left inside the cafeteria at Pine View High School in St. George on March 5. The bomb did not explode; a student who saw smoke coming out of the backpack notified a teacher and eventually the bag was removed safely.

'Unusual and unprecedented' case

Deputy Washington County Attorney Angela Adams said the boy's initial appearance went as expected but the case itself is "unusual and unprecedented."

The teen's parents appeared in court alongside their son and two defense attorneys.

Dame also scheduled the juvenile's preliminary hearing, which defense attorney Stephen Harris requested to be scheduled at least 40 days out.

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Defense lawyer Stephen Harris during the detention hearing and the initial appearance for the 16-year-old boy accused of bringing a bomb to Pine View High School Wednesday, March 28, 2018.(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

Harris said the defense still needs to review "a volume of written evidence" and mental-health testing on the teen in preparation of the preliminary hearing.

"The defense wanted plenty of time," Adams said. "The preliminary hearing is held typically within 10 days, but they wanted plenty of time to look at the evidence and prepare."

If the prosecution at the preliminary hearing is able to meet its burden to show probable cause to bind the juvenile over, the judge will then bind him to 5th District Court where he will be tried as an adult.

The teen will appear in juvenile court again May 11 for his preliminary hearing.